Thursday, August 11, 2016

Three Things Trump Must Do but Probably Won’t

This has been an awful week for the Trump campaign. Trump engaged in an ongoing self-defeating fight with a Gold Star family,refused to endorse Republican leadership (who nowbarely endorse him), displayed ignoranceof events in Ukraine, possibly made disturbing comments about the use of nukes, saw the public defections of prominent Republican politicians, and heard the doubts of friends and close supporters over his conduct. Plus, he practically ignored his opponent, mostly giving Hillary Clinton a pass on recent events
that should hurt her (e.g., baldly lying to Chris Wallace on national
television, bad economic reports, money for hostages.) All this no doubt
cheered Clinton and the Never Trump crowd, but has dispirited many
ordinary Republicans who swallowed hard and went along with his
candidacy. Trump must quickly right the ship or face certain disaster in
November.

Some of this whiff of catastrophe may well be -- to mix metaphors -- media and Democrat “froth”
as they see a chance to deliver knockout blows. This was also all very
predictable, once Trump faced off against the Hillary machine, her media
helpmates, and a sitting (not terribly unpopular) president. However, other than complaining about
how unfair things are, Trump has refused to take the practical steps
necessary to protect himself from attack, which means remaining
disciplined on the campaign trail, following the advice of his own staff
and family, and trying to appear “presidential.”

Beating
17 Republican opponents who couldn’t get out of each other’s way with a
bare plurality is nothing like a national campaign against a Clinton.
And while he’s being battered Hillary’s allowed to skate, just by
keeping her head down. As Napoleon said, never interfere with an enemy when he is destroying himself.